Lid vise



Dec. 27, 1966 s. H. Hor-Hams LID VISE Filed April 9, 1965 X yg) 2%2()A?) United States Patent O 3,293,957 LID VISE Seth H. Hofheins, Box 116,Jemez Springs, N. Mex. 87025 Filed Apr. 9, 1965, Ser. No. 446,903 2Claims. (Cl. fil-3.3)

The invention relates generally to a lid vise and particularly to anovel device for loosening and tightening jar lids of any size, which issimple in design while offering maximum capabilities in performing itsintended function.

Prior known lid vises have inherent in their structure manydisadvantages which are overcome by the structure and advantages of thepresent invention. The common lid vise well known on the commercialmarket includes a pair of arms pivotably secured to one another anddisposed for receiving a lid therebetween. Such devices do not provideadequate holding power to the lid and consequently are incapable ofperforming their task properly. This is due primarily to the smallamount of area which is grasped by the arms, `since they contact the lidat only two points on its periphery. Therefore, a considerable amount offorce is required to produce adequate leverage between the arms toperform the more difficult tasks. The housewife, however, cannot alwaysprovide a great amount of `force and, as a result, the device does notattain its intended function. Furthermore, since such devices contactthe periphery of the lid at only two points, damage may result to boththe lid and the jar by the excessive pressures which must often beapplied. It can also be realized that the lid will bend at these twopoints of contact with the arms, thus providing more friction betweenthe lid and the jar and consequently more resistance to the removal ofthe lid. Those devices which include structure for holding a largerportion of the periphery of a lid, however, overcome the above-mentioneddisadvantages but are inadequate in several other aspects.

For instance, such devices cannot perform their function on a largevariation of lid sizes without some adjustment being made to theirstructure for each size to be accommodated, Furthermore, those deviceswhich have a small degree of variance for adapting to some differentsizes of lids, require additional structure for providing leverage tothe lid holding means before the device can perform its intendedfunction. That is, structure is provided in devices of this characterwhich will allow loosening of the lid holding means to allow itsreceiving a lid and then tightening it again to hold the lid properly.Such leverage structures are to the disadvantage of the user oroperator, `since both hands must be employed in effecting its operationand additional steps must be performed in manipulating the lid holdingmeans.

In addition, the prior known devices of this character have not beenadapted for installation on a cabinet or similar kitchen structure. Thelack of this feature further prohibits the effective and efficient useof the device by the housewife. It can be realized, therefore, that theprior known articles for loosening and tightening lids either requirethe use of both hands of the operator to perform the intended functionor require some form of adjustment in the'structure to adapt to varioussizes of the lids. It is, of course, a primary consideration to thehousewife to have a device of this character including a self-sizing,endless chain on a heart-shaped means that can be operated with one handand that does not require any adjustment with different sized lids.

It is therefore a primary object of this invention to provide a devicefor loosening and tightening jar lids that does not require anyadjustment for various sizes of the lids.

3,293,957 Patented Dec. 27, 1966 ICC It is another object of thisinvention to provide a device for loosening and tightening jar lids thatcan be operated effectively with the use of only one hand of theoperator.

Another object of the present invention is to provide a device forloosening and tightening jar lids which can be easily installed under acabinet or similar kitchen structure while providing effective operationin its function.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a device forloosening and tightening jar lids which will grasp a large area of theperiphery of the lid.

Another object of the invention is to provide a device for loosening andtightening jar lids which will not squeeze the jar lid at any particularpoint thus eliminating any increased resistance between the lid and thejar.

A still further object of the present invention is to provide a devicefor loosening and tightening jar lids which will increase the frictionon the lid with increased turning force on the jar and vwithout respectto the size of the jar lid.

These and other objects of the present invention will be more fullyrealized from the novel structure thereof which includes a base memberadapted to be connected to a cabinet or similar kitchen structure. Oneside of the base member has the same shape as the top of a heart or apair of adjoining epicycloids; that is, the ends are arcuately shapedand one side between the ends is V- shaped. A slot is provided in theone side and extends through the base to `both ends thereof. A bearingis secured to the base member adjacent the apex of the V- shaped portionand intersects the slot and an endless chain or an endless friction beltwhich is pivotably mounted thereon. The chain is mounted at anintermediate point to provide a loop for receiving a jar lid. TheV-shaped portion and the arcuate ends include means for providingfrictional engagement with the lid preferably in the form of a roughenededge.

The invention will be more fully realized and understood from thefollowing detailed description when taken in conjunction with theaccompanying drawings wherein like reference numerals designate the sameelement, and wherein:

FIGURE l is a top view of the invention showing two positions of theendless chain or endless friction belt for respective different sizes ofjar lids, as applied to a paired epicycloid contour with frictiongripping means;

FIGURE 2 is a sectional view taken along lines 2 2 of FIG. l without thejar lids and endless chain, and illustrates the mode of attaching thedevice to a cabinet or similar structure; and

FIGURE 3 is a sectional view taken along lines 3-3 of FIG. 1, furtherillustrating the attachment of the device to a cabinet and showing somedetails of a preferred embodiment of the present invention.

With reference to the gures, there is shown a base member 10 adapted forattachment to the underside of a cabinet 11 or similar structure byscrews 12, 12. An end 14 and the other end 16 of the base member areessentially arcuately shaped or heart-shaped or epicycloidshaped and theedges contain a plurality of protruding portions 18 which constitute afriction engaging surface thereon. On one side of the base member 10 isa V- shaped portion 2t) having slightly concavely arcuate sides whichcontain also a plurality of protruding edges 18 for providing a frictionengaging surface thereon. A longitudinal slot 22 defined by side walls24, 24 and a rear wall 26 extend between ends 14, 16.

A bearing or pivot member 28 is secured at a mid.- point of the basemember between the endsvand provides a mounting means for a frictionbelt or endless chain 30. Chain 30 is mounted on the pivot member toprovide a loop for receiving a jar lid 32. The longitudinal slot 22 isbetter illustrated in FIG. 2 as being defined by side walls 24, 24, andrear wall 26. The bearing member 28 extends through slot 22 and providesa mounting for chain 30 whereby the chain will be free to travel withinthe slot. The relationship between chain 30, bearing member 28, and slot22 is also illustrated in FIG. 3, as well as the engagement betweenchain 30 and lid 32 and the attachment of the device to a cabinet 11.Endless chain 30 also includes aplurality of protrusions or gripping aidmeans 36 which constitute a friction means thereon for providing`frictional engagement with lid 32 of a jar 38.

The operation of the device is simple and unique. The jar 38 having lid32 thereon is inserted into the loop formed by the endless chain 30.This insertion is unobstructed and easily accomplished when the chainextends directly forward of the V-shaped portion 20. If the lid is to beremoved from the jar 38, the chain is pulled to the left side of thedevice. For tightening the lid, jar 38 and the endless chain 30 arepulled to the right side of the device, as shown in FIG. l, where it isassumed that the device is viewed from the bottom. Protrusions orgripping aid means 36 and edges 18 cooperatively grasp lid 32, and as arm turning force is applied to the jar, the amount of grasping forceincreases uniformly around the lid. This action results from the jartending to move along the surface of the V-shaped portion or the end asit is rotated. The lid moves a small distance along this surface andincreases the tension on the endless chain 30, thereby increasing thegrasping force of protrusions 36 and edges 18. The larger lids areaccommodated on the surface of the V-shaped portion, and the smallerlids on the arcuate ends. Screws 12, 12 separately provide a fulcrum forthe endless chain 30 when a very small lid is to be loosened ortightened. As the endless chain 30 is bent around screw 12, it pulls lid32 into closer relationship to the end for frictional engagement withedges 18. Since the endless chain will remain substantially in ahorizontal plane at all times, it can be realized that a jar lid can beinserted into the loop with only one hand. The jar is then moved to theproper side and turned until the desired result is accomplished.

As shown in FIG. 2 and particularly in FIG. 3, the device is ideallyadapted -for being secured to a cabinet structure 11. The device mayextend from the edge of the cabinet, as shown in FIG. 3, or it may besecured entirely under the cabinet out of sight, since no structure ofthe device nor the lid will extend beyond the side of the base memberadjacent the cabinet to interfere with its operation.

The principles of the invention explained in connection with thespecific exempliiication thereon will suggest v many other applicationsand modifications of the same.

It is accordingly desired that in construing the breadth of the appendedclaims, they shall not be limited to the specic details shown anddescribed in connection with the exempliication thereof.

What is claimed is:

1. A device for loosening and tightening lids comprising anepicycloid-Shaped base member having a pair of arcuate ends and alongitudinal slot therein, a bearing member secured to said base at amid-point between the ends and intersecting said slot, an endless chainmounted at one portion thereof on said bearing member to form a loopdisposed for receiving a lid, securing means for said base memberextending through said slot in the arcuate ends and engageable with saidendless chain the outer edges of epicycloid portions of said base andthe endless chain including means for providing cooperative frictionalengagement with a lid.

2. A device for loosening and tightening lids comprising anepicycloid-shaped base having a pair of arcuate ends and a longitudinalslot therein, a bearing member secured to said base at a mid-pointbetween the ends and intersecting said slot, an endless chain mounted atone portion thereof on said bearing member to form a loop disposed forreceiving a lid, said base member having securing means engaging thechain to reduce the loop area thereof, the outer edges of the epicycloidportions of said base and the endless chain including means forproviding cooperative frictional engagement with a lid.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 692,093 1/ 1902Webber 81-70 2,177,485 10/1939 Hall 81-70 2,257,460 9/ 1941 Gavlak81-3.43 2,787,924 4/ 1957 Hammer 8l-3.43

WILLIAM FELDMAN, Primary Examiner.

JAMES L. JONES, JR., Examiner.

1. A DEVICE FOR LOOSENING AND TIGHTENING LIDS COMPRISING ANEPICYCLOID-SHAPED BASE MEMBER HAVING A PAIR OF ARCUATE ENDS AND ALONGITUDINAL SLOT THEREIN, A BEARING MEMBER SECURED TO SAID BASE AT AMID-POINT BETWEEN THE ENDS AND INTERSECTING SAID SLOT, AN ENDLESS CHAINMOUNTED AT ONE PORTION THEREOF ON SAID BEARING MEMBER TO FORM A LOOPDISPOSED FOR RECEIVING A LID, SECURING MEANS FOR SAID BASE MEMBEREXTENDING THROUGH SAID SLOT IN THE ARCUATE ENDS AND ENGAGEABLE WITH SAIDENDLESS CHAIN THE OUTER EDGES OF EPICYCLOID PORTIONS OF SAID BASE ANDTHE ENDLESS CHAIN INCLUDING MEANS FOR PROVIDING COOPERATIVE FRICTIONALENGAGEMENT WITH A LID.